


Punishment

by orphan_account



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25001143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Every bit of happiness is fleeting for those who have known only suffering.In the aftermath of the Rebellion victory over Horde Prime, Hordak and Entrapta face a seemingly insurmountable challenge to their friendship. Despite raising his hand against Horde Prime and attempting to destroy the foul despot, Hordak is still deemed (rightfully so) as responsible for numerous atrocities committed across Etheria as ruler of the Horde. A long list of charges and war crimes are to be levelled against him, with the penalty for these actions being a steep one indeed.What will be his punishment?
Relationships: Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 28





	1. Celebration.

What good are hopes and dreams, that the truth of them is this; they must forever be out of reach.

It had all happened so quickly. Horde Prime’s defeat and the suddenness of it had left little time for anything to settle. There _was_ a brief moment, in the immediate aftermath, where the two had been graced a reunion. Entrapta had flung herself into the arms of the former dictator, though to her he was a friend before all else and she treated him as such. It _was_ a sweet moment, tender even, but for how long can one hope to draw such things out?

The pair had spent plenty of time in each other’s company, with the conversation being dominated by Entrapta. It wasn’t that Hordak was unwilling as a participant, or even that Entrapta’s enthusiasm made no allowance for him. No, the truth was simply that he had very little to offer in response. For all of her time spent on Beast Island and working to fight against Prime, where had he been? Bringing destruction to Etheria, first of all alongside Catra and then afterwards under Prime.

There was little that he could say that she didn’t already know, and little else of the rest that he would be willing to share. As much as he was certain she would understand him (as she always had, unlike any other) he spoke not. The weight of shame stayed his tongue, forbade him from uttering anything that he might have wanted to. Instead he chose the easier path, listening to what she had to say – that is, _trying_ to listen, but feeling ever more disconnected from it all as time went on.

For the aftermath of Prime’s defeat was taken with celebration! A joyous occasion to celebrate Etheria’s liberation from a darkness of two kinds: that of the aforementioned intergalactic despot and that of its isolation. Everyone here had played some part in their victory, with the exception of those who had not survived to see the day, and of those who had perished they who were deserving were being remembered. Adora, Catra, Scorpia… The host of princesses and rebellion champions had won the day; not him.

Hordak was in the company of champions and felt that he was there undeservingly. As the lights of fires cast the area in warm hues of amber and the shadows of revelry danced about all over, he sat in the corner with Entrapta. She had been talking and he, listening for some time. Though only in a half and she noticed eventually.

“Hordak?” The sound of his name still feels alien to him, after the torment of so many vicious attempts at abrading the concept from his mind. Yet the ache was lessened with the soft melodious voice that spoke it.

Hordak brought his gaze around, having settled it on an undefined point some ways out on the darkened horizon. Now it is settled on something else entirely; a face, soft in shape and form, framed by the heavenly glow of a dozen or so fires. The light was dull, though when it fell upon Entrapta’s face it seemed infinitely brighter.  
The pair had taken themselves off to a secluded area, or rather _Entrapta_ had taken _Hordak_ off. Neither of them was overfond when it came to such sizeable social events, except perhaps for the potential to observe such proceedings and gather data. There were more important interactions to be had at that current moment, however.

Entrapta placed a hand upon Hordak’s as it rested on his knee. Her smile was bright, perhaps somewhat wearied, yet not lacking in any of the typical energy she had for him. Hordak’s eyes dropped to her touch, yet his face remained without discernible expression.

“Is everything ok, Hordak? I know it’s been some time since we last sat down to exchange notes, but you’ve usually got so much more to say!”

Was that true? His mind was a scrambled mess still, the memories of much of who he was in shreds and tatters.

“It is… Fine, Entrapta. I apologise for my uncommunicative behaviour. I am feeling… Unpleasant.”

“Oh? Why’s that?” Entrapta tilted her head inquisitively, though before her question could be answered she hazarded a guess.  
“Is it because you tried to destroy the planet and everyone here? Believe me, I understand what that’s like! But Catra did the same and look at her!”

With a firm swing of her arm she sprung a sudden motion towards Catra. Hordak followed the length of her gesture to see Catra, smiling delicately and making small talk. A small group of them, stood laughing and joking; but not Catra. She smiled a plasticine smile, but her eyes were indicative of something far more unpleasant happening internally. Hordak’s own widened slightly, brimming with a sudden recognition, before Entrapta leapt between him and the sight of the former Force Captain.

“We’re all going to be friends now! I’m sure of it!” Entrapta’s enthusiasm was reassuring, though it, too, dipped as she suddenly broke eye contact with her friend. Where she had been holding his hands in her own, she now relinquished her grip, casting her eyes down slightly.

“We… We _have_ to be. I just got you back and… Everything has to be fine now…” Entrapta’s words trailed off to nothing and she returned to her seat opposite him, somewhat deflated.

Neither were fools. Both were always looking to the future and thinking ahead, able to fathom the next stage of things in most any situation. Hordak’s calculative mind had clued him in to what was the next stage here. A hand was outstretched towards the princess of Dryl, it now being the clone’s turn to offer comfort. A small, reluctant smile grew on her face, mirroring the gentle melancholy that he held within him. They had today, and today was victory… Celebration!  
  
Tomorrow?

  
Tomorrow was punishment.


	2. Grey

With the grey of the morning descended upon them, Hordak lay there in the camp bed, sullenly and silently pondering on the events of the night prior. The bed was in one of the many tents that had been set up in the grounds outside the castle (for sheltering many of the neighbouring kingdoms’ guests) and wasn’t especially sizable, though it had been pushed alongside another’s.

Hordak longed to turn to face in the opposite direction, to see his bed-mate – though he wished to give no indication that he was no longer in the tender arms of sleep. Instead, he merely lay there for a while, minutes ticking by eventually into hours. Whatever Hordak’s species was, he and the rest of his kind required little sleep beyond a few hours out of the day.

As he continued to stare out of the partially opened entrance of the tent and listen, he noticed it; the morning sun had not only failed to illuminate the day fully (leaving them all under the dour bleakness of overcast clouds) but it had also not brought with it the rousing chorus of birds that seemed standard. Instead, the air was deathly still and silent, unnerving beyond measure. Perhaps the reason was some manner of portent; perhaps it was that the Horde’s activities had killed so much of the wildlife.

Neither thought brought him much comfort to dwell upon.

“I know you’re awake.” A voice suddenly came, wrapped in the unmistakable trappings of a post-awakening torpidity. It was firm, though not chiding. Perhaps a little sad at not having been woken.  
Of course, it was Entrapta’s. Who else would it have been?

Hordak looked down to see the hand resting upon his ribcage, fingers spasming lazily as she felt for the comfort of him. He watched those scarred hands for a time, rare sight such as they were, and considered pretending to still be asleep. It’d have served no good though.

“Apologies. I did not wish to wake you.” Oh, what a lie, or a half-truth at least. He’d longed for nothing more than to speak with her, but his thoughts wouldn’t allow for it.

The breath of a gentle huff tickled softly at his shoulder blades and he stiffened slightly in response. That hand that rested its touch on his torso retracted momentarily, though returned just as quickly to settle under his jaw. His back was to her, but he could feel the weight of her expectant gaze.

“…Hordak, could you um. Turn around, please?” Entrapta asked him and received only a nod in response.  
Hordak turned to face her then, to be graced with a smile of utter contentedness. So radiant in form was it that he couldn’t help but to mirror the expression, albeit somewhat more sheepishly.

The hand beneath his jaw raised to settle upon his cheek, thumb running gently upon the sharp lines of his face. For a time, they simply lay in a peaceful quiet, the silence of the outside no longer troubling the alien’s mind. Hordak eventually raised a hand to hold the back of Entrapta’s as it gave its affections to his face. After minutes ticked by, she eventually spoke:

“You’re worried, right? I would be too…”

“You mean to tell me that you are not?” The surprise was mild in his tone.

“Maybe a little… But they’re my friends! You made mistakes, apparently, but we all did! I’m sure things won’t be too bad!”

Perhaps it was simply the effect of a new morning, but it seemed to Hordak that Entrapta’s optimism had been refreshed. He couldn’t help but be infected by it and a smile thusly began to grow larger on his face, blossoming wide and sweetly as a rose bush under a Plumerian summer.

“You know them better than I. If you say that you believe they will treat me with leniency then I will trust in your judgement.” Just as the hope bloomed on his tongue though, his stoicism returned to show itself.  
“Yet whatever is decided upon, I will abide it. I have brought ill to this world, in more ways than one; it is only fair.”

Entrapta gave an enthusiastic nod and a wide grin at that, before leaning in to place a firm kiss at his mouth. The moment she made contact his eyelights began to glow more widely, face taking on a pink hue and ears beginning to twitch _ever so slightly._ Entrapta’s arms then wrapped around him and she buried her face sideways against his chest.

“I’m glad that you’re back… I missed you. I mean, we had a lot to think about, sure, with the end of the world and the robots – that part was a _lot_ of fun, by the way – but…Yeah. It wasn’t the same without my lab partner.”  
Entrapta’s face was hidden as she spoke, looking down and away from him. Hordak brought a hand to rest at the back of her head and she sighed out her contentment.

“Your heartbeat is _really_ fast,” she began excitedly, on yet another tangent. Hordak was unconcerned though: her excitement about the most random of things always brought him a joy immeasurable.

“Ooh! Do you know why? Is that a thing with your kind?! I’d love to run some tests when we get the time! Aaaaaah! That means internal holographic imagers, I’ve always wanted t-” As willing as he’d have been to lay and listen to her for hours on end, it would seem that the swift hand of fate was about ready to deal him a slap across the face.

Entrapta’s words were cut short by the rough entry of a coterie of Bright Moon guards forcing themselves within the diminutive tent. The princess can only watch as they awkwardly attempted to find space enough to allow themselves to look intimidating. After that was done, they set to attending their business.

“Hordak of the Fright Zone, you are hereby-” One of them began to read aloud from a scroll, only to stumble back slightly at a shape moving with incredible haste.

As Hordak lay facing away from them, Entrapta had practically launched herself with her hair to place her body between her lover and the intruding group. She was dressed only in the undercovering of her overalls and stood at a little over half their size, but the ferocity of her movement was enough to startle them all.

“Hey! He’s _sleeping_! Come back and do this later, ok?!” Her arms waved in a frantic motion at her sides, though it did little to ward the custodian off.

“Princess Entrapta, I’m under strict orders to bring Hordak into the custody of the Bright Moon guard – orders directly from Princess Glimmer.” She responded to the princess and looked over to Hordak, eyebrow raised.

“Besides. We heard your talking as we were approaching the tent. Who were you talking to if he was asleep?”

“Myself!” Entrapta yelled out, hair and arms thrown indignantly down at her sides. The unimpressed scowl only grew upon her face. “It helps me to think and _process_ my _thoughts_! Now, please get-”

“Entrapta.” Hordak’s baritone voice sung out clearly, causing attention to turn from her and onto him. He had sat up in the bed and had been staring at the wall of the tent, listening to her defence of him. “Allow them to do what they came here for. Please. It is necessary.”

She seemed to visibly deflate, expression betraying a minor heartbreak at his words. Entrapta knew it to be inevitable, but she had hoped for a little more time with him before they came to take him away. The scientist steeled herself in the face of that moment, turning away as her hair reached out for her mask and placed it over her face. The guards stepped forward to do their work.

  
“Hordak of the Fright Zone, you are hereby taken into the custody of the Guard of Bright Moon. You are taken in accordance with royal decree and will be brought before a council to face judgment for crimes against Etheria. Should you refuse to accompany the arresting party willingly, you will be taken by force and may in turn be subject to summary judgement.

Do you accept your arrest?”

Hordak nodded then, adding a simple ‘yes’ to verbally confirm his consent. Entrapta watched on from behind her mask, although it failed to filter out the harsh reality that was unfolding before her. The guard nodded in response and then moved to place his hands in shackles. She then turned to Entrapta.

“Please remain here princess. You will be summoned when it is time for the trial.” The Princess declined to respond; her attention was fixed firmly upon Hordak. The guard merely shrugged and continued on. Hordak was marched out into the tent, away from the glow of Entrapta and out into the cold grey of the morning.

And for what was now the second time, she was separated from the comforting presence of her Lab Partner at the behest of one of her friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Mostly just entrapdak fluffiness here bc I think we could all use it. The drama begins in earnest, next time!  
> I hope you enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> First fic I've written in a while, so please leave some encouragement if you liked it! Chapters will probably be longer than this first one, from now on! I hope you enjoyed reading!


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